Wednesday, August 25, 2010

one If you love someone - tell them. If you don't - don't say that you do. These are mighty powerful words and are not to be bandied about recklessly. Do not mistake love for ownership or need. It's one thing to love someone, and an entirely different thing to need them or feel like you own them. People will screw up because they are just human beings, and you will still love them. Do not make your love conditional on their ability to not disappoint you. And, if you love them - let them know. If you don't, don't say that you do.

two Make eye contact with people. It doesn't matter if it's someone who is getting you fries with that or someone who asks you to be home by midnight. Make eye contact, let whomever it is that you are dealing with know that you are engaged and listening. People who don't make eye contact are shifty and not to be trusted. Mind your trust - don't put it in places where it need not be. You don't have to hang with people who don't look you in the eyes - and don't be one of those people.

three Stomp in puddles of rain sometimes. Your clothes can be washed and your shoes will dry out. Stomping in puddles is kind of rewarding and can make you laugh. While doing this you can catch raindrops on your tongue. Don't rush so hard that you forget how good it feels to get some rain on you. Dance, spin and laugh at the possibilities while you stomp in puddles of rain sometimes.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

one Always look both ways before you cross the street. Sometimes I still forget and this is totally not cool.

two Learn how to tell time on an old-fashioned clock. Old-fashioned clocks have hands that spin around and point to 12 different numbers. Don't be one of those kids who can't tell time.

three Don't let yourself get all stinky. If you can smell you - other people can smell you too. IF you have no sense of smell but you know that you busted a sweat, you probably ought to get cleaned up - just to be on the safe side. There are few things in the world as sweet smelling as a squeaky clean human.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

one Knees. You only get this pair. Well, technically, you can have surgery at some point to get others, but they won't work quite right. No matter how much you campaign, the doctors will install the "weather change prediction" feature in the knee, it will be painful, and you won't like it. Take care of your knees.

two Everybody farts. You know those people who seems to have everything under control all the time? Every hair is where it is supposed to be? They know exactly what to say and when to say it? They get really good grades and don't have to work for them? They're not as perfect as you think. Sometimes they feel sad and lonely. Sometimes they go to Pity City. Sometimes they're embarrassed. Sometimes their hair is out of place, sometimes they get pimples, and sometimes they feel lost. Sometimes they fart.

three You are not the refrigerator. This seems obvious, but at some point it will be important to remember. At some point, you will live with other people. People keep doing this even though people have a hard time living with people. You will eventually fight over things that are inconsequential, but during the fight these things will seem huge. Sometimes, during the fight, we have a hard time separating ourselves from the subject of the fight. So, maybe one person did a very nice thing in trying to organize the fridge, and the other person is grumpy because they can't find the mustard and they just want their sandwich because they are very hungry, and it blows up and both people have hurt feelings. Both people need to step back, and remember that they are not the refrigerator. This is shorthand for "you are more than your actions." And also, "you can fight about behaviors and still love the person." Sometimes you need an easy way to remember these things. You can substitute appliances as your need. Sometimes you'll need to remember that you're not the bathtub that you didn't clean because you had a big test that day, but the person you live with is upset because you said you'd clean it. Or,you'll need to remember that your father is not his accordion that he left on the stairs for you to fall over, again.

Who you is?

I love raindrops on roses and whatnot, but even more than that I totally dig finding dollars in clothes I haven't worn in ages, live
music, social networking and search engine optimization, research,
freecycle.com, homemade beer, home grown stuff, writing, talking, laughing,
green movements, debate, dialog, dumpster diving, time travel, time-out chairs,
psychology, meals that last for hours, pranks, astral projection, meaningful
lives, the kindness of strangers, trains, trucks and tractors, cowboys, horses,
deer, eagles, random occurrences, modern tragedies, small appliances, good socks
and sturdy shoes, shiny objects, painting, playing stringed instruments and
singing harmony, pulling perfect feather pillows out of the freezer on hot and
humid Kansas summer nights, rodeos and county fairs, brokers, organics and
authenticity, my kids, their kids and my huge extended family. I am a hugger and I probably laugh AND talk way too much.